Turning to the back

And so the turning starts!

Now I start the seemingly never-end taste of hand turning the binding to the back.

I bind a lot of my quilts by machine.  And, I mean a lot of my quilts especially quilts that will be store samples, throw quilts, baby quilts and quilts where the binding and the borders are the same fabric because it is arguably a stronger binding as well as much faster.

For bed quilts I prefer an old fashioned, double fold French binding because it is softer to sleep under.  And, with a quilt like this scrap quilt I prefer the binding thread to be more invisible.  It's a long process; but, it is a meditative process that I can do in front of the television.  I don't rush it; so, often a binding on a queen size quilt can take me weeks if I don't have a deadline for a quilt - like this one is LOL!

Sometimes you have to allow yourself to enjoy the process; and, since I don't really enjoy hand-turning the binding to the back, allowing myself to take my time with it makes something I don't enjoy more enjoyable.  Does this make sense?

Do you needle-turn or do you machine bind?

Almost Finished!

Well I cannot say I will be sad to see this quilt off the frame!

Don't get me wrong.  Now that I have brought it out again I remembered how much I do actually like this quilt.  I look back at the different fabrics in the squares and remember the projects they came from.  I remember each wedding quilt, each hand bag and each baby quilt etc that these fabric scraps came from.  I also remember how much I learned with this quilt.  And, honestly, how much the two of us have gone through together to get to this point.  We've had our ups and downs together.

It sounds like this quilt is now a living being at this point.  Perhaps it is?  Perhaps when something represents so much history, so many memories and so many emotions it takes on some life of it's own.  Maybe that's why I have such an emotion reaction to this quilt?  I don't really know!

What I do know is that this quilt is almost at the last boarder - yet - and to me, that means a lot!

Finally Racked!

I finally did it and I am proud of myself!  I finally racked my beast of a leaders and enders quilt!

If you have been following my blog for a while you might know that I have a real love / hate relationship with this quilt.  Why love?  Look at all those scraps!  Why hate?  Well, just about anything that could go wrong with this quilt has!  Heck I have even sewn in an incorrect fabric into this quilt!  Then after all of that I didn't like it until I made it a bit bigger!

I have blogged about it on many occasions, the last being May of 2012, and heck a few years ago I made a video showing how to make the alternating blocks!  The links will take you to a greater explanation of how the quilt was put together.  

In the process I set some goals with this quilts.  I succeeded with my goals mostly and I am happy with it.  But, sometimes, do you ever just form an opinion about a quilt and just need to put it away for a little while?  Well that's what I did with this one - we just needed some distance from each other.  Or, rather I did ;-)

But now I am determined to get this one out of the closet and onto a bed!  We've had quite a journey, this quilt and I, but, I think it's time to take the last few steps and finish it!

Have you ever needed time away from a top in order to come back to it?

Smart Phone Stands

Hi all!

Sorry I know that it has been a while!  What have I been doing?  Well, the holidays happened but I also got quite sick with this flu that seems to be taking everyone down.  I'm still down to be honest but hopefully starting to mend a bit.

One cool thing I did come across, and wanted to share, was this new die from AccuCut.  It is the Creatables Smart Phone Stand and I think they are the cutest little things!  When they were having a 50% off sale I grabbed one.

I did purchase a pack of the plastic sheets to use but the woman on the phone told me to save my plastic lids - like the type on yogurt.  I thought that this was a great tip!  Cut off the edges and run it through the machine.

It makes some cuts and makes some creases.  Fold on the lines and Voila!

Super cute little phone stands!

They are very sturdy too!  These would be good for a classroom setting, of course, but they are also great for an office setting.  We love ours for around the house for watching Netflix on our phones or iPods.  I also have a few substitute teachers that take my fitness classes and they are constantly checking their phones to see if they have a class the next day.  I made up a bunch of these so they could prop them up in class!

Was this die a wee bit of an indulgent purchase - yes!  But, I am ok with that!  What do you think?  Any other uses?  Ad hock business card holder?

More Log Cabin Quilting

Hi all!

While many of you are getting snowed in we had a lovely fall day today!  And what better way to spend a day than teaching a quilting class!

Today I taught at a guild about an hour away from me and taught the Log Cabin block using the Accuquilt Go! Log Cabin die.  We had a great day and everyone left happy with their blocks and the things that they learned.  I always try to offer lots of little tips on piecing or pressing etc so that people leave happy and, hopefully, inspired.

Here are our blocks for the day.  Some are two colour, some are planned and some are scrappy - they are all beautiful!

A couple of weeks ago I taught this class at another location and once again the blocks turned out beautifully!  Lots of variation in colours and themes but they all are great.

I think that the log cabin is a favourite of almost everyone.  It is so versatile and it can use up so many scraps!  It is such an old block but it can be made in any theme of fabric - traditional, brights, batiks, funky - you name it!

One of my participants had this great tip - she used these paper clips to keep her stacks of logs together and organized.  Awesome!  This is perfect if you have to transport your fabrics, have your windows open or even if you have a playful cat in your house.  Great idea!

Have you made a log cabin quilt before?  Was it planned or scrappy?

Quick Curve Ruler

Hi all!

Recently I purchased the "Quick Curve Ruler" by Sew Kind of Wonderful.  I know, I know - it's pretty shocking that I purchased a ruler when I die cut but this is a great ruler!  It easily cuts curves but more than that it is the patterns that they have!  They are amazing!  So fresh and cool and very well written.  Since I just got the ruler I decided to make the table runner pattern that comes with the ruler.

Cool huh!?  Pretty simple and a great way to get to learn to use the ruler.  I pulled the fabrics from my stash.

I decided that since the runner was so simple, and, being inspired by the quilting on the Sew Kind of Wonderful blog, that, it was just asking for some really dense and cool quilting!  I used FilTech Glide thread top and bobbin and went to town with some scribbles, pebbling and ribbon curl quilting.  I really like it - what do you think?

I am now working on another pattern using the ruler and once again I am pleased with how it is turning out!  Have you tried this ruler before?

Log Cabin Class!

Hi all!

I taught not only a Go Club today but a log cabin class!  We used the Accuquilt Go! Log Cabin die and then assembled a couple of blocks.  Everyone did extremely well and were very pleased with the results.

It was so fun to watch the participants when they saw that HOURS of work was completed in just a couple of minutes of cutting with the die.  I know that this die has a few limitations but overall I am very happy with it and absolutely LOVE how fast and accurate it makes a log cabin!

I don't know what it is about the log cabin block and me.  It draws me.  Maybe it's the history, or the mythology behind it; or, maybe it is the simplicity of it.  Whatever it is I love this block!

Log Cabin on the Go!

Hi all!

I wanted to share this log cabin quilt with you all!  Not only because I love it - but because it has a bit of a story to go along with it.  You know that I have been busy preparing my store samples for my fall classes - but this quilt and I made a little journey together.

Before I get to the story - this quilt was entirely die cut using the log cabin die for the Accuquilt Go! machine.  I love this die and how easy it is to make a completely accurate log cabin block.  They all turned out the same size!  It was great - no discrepancies between the blocks!  It is quilted with FilTech Glide thread in Tabriz Orchid top and bobbin and cotton batting.

We had a long weekend with friends planned in the Finger Lakes region.  Since the forecast was calling for rain I figured I would get a couple projects together to take with me.  Quilt geeky huh?  

4 people packing into a car for over a week away meant that I was going to have to pack small and plan well!  To justify bringing things along with me I had to make it fit a small part of the trunk.

I packed all my sewing gear into a small art organizer.  If it couldn't fit in this tote - it didn't come along.  I had a grabbit with pins, thread, rotary cutter and small ruler, small travel iron, scissors and a thread bag as well as two pre-cut quilting projects.  I was a little ambitious with the two projects but hey!  LOL!  I also had the June Tailor cutting and pressing board to save space.  It isn't my favorite but it's good for traveling.  You can see my little Goiron (a travel iron) it is great for classes or travel - I really like the little guy!  The only thing I didn't pack was a small spray bottle of starch :-(  Next time I will for sure!  I also took over the little kitchen table  that we had in our room - hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

I also took my Pfaff Passport sewing machine.  For those of you that haven't met her yet this is my fourth Pfaff - Paige.  This is a great little machine that is made for being on the go!  It is great for travelling or classes.  It sews like a dream and has the built in IDT.  See my leaders and enders?  Travelling is no excuse not to do leaders and enders!

Travelling also means that you have to make do with smaller quarters!  The blocks had to go on the floor in between already tight furniture but I got the job done.  I wanted to make sure that I didn't use the same print in each block twice so I had to lay out the blocks.

I am so glad that I packed this quilt along for vacation because it was a really fun experience to bring it along and I have a lot of great memories associated with the quilt now (and that the quilt is finished!).  

This definitely will not be my last travel quilt!

Storm at Sea

Hi all!

I have always loved the Storm at Sea quilt pattern.  I love the illusion of curves even though everything has straight edges.  It's so visually interesting and has so much movement!

I posted a couple pictures of the beginning of this quilt  and since I finally finished it I thought that I would post a picture of the finished quilt - ready to hang!

Ta da!  I love the way that it turned out!  I love the Kona solids and I love the quilting pattern!  I used my Loricles grooved board in Egyptian Eye.  I thought that it would give the illusion of waves across the quilt.  I quilted it in 40 wt Glide thread, top and bobbin, in Turquoise.  Love that Glide thread!

This quilt was all die cut using the pattern that comes with die number 55319 the half square 1 1/2" finished triangle.  I made a change to the pattern though and next time I make a Storm at Sea quilt I would make one more change.  I added on one die to the quilt.  The 3" Finished Quarter Square Triangle die - either for the Studio or the Go!  By adding in this die I eliminated pricing together 2 HSTs to make a QST unit, and, therefore bulk in the seams - yey!  There is a lot, and I mean a lot of point to point action going on here and getting rid of seam bulk is pretty major!  Next time I would use my 3.5" strip die to make the diamonds instead of pricing them with 2 triangle in a square units.  Again - less bulk!

I love to find ways to simplify patterns so that I have less work.  Sometimes less is more!

I used a batik wind-back that I had a meter of for the backing.   I love how it picks up the colours in the top of the quilt!

Now onto the next store sample!!

Class Samples

Every year I make myself the same promise - I will get my class samples done, for the fall, in the summer!  And, regrettably every year I cram at the end - last minute LOL!  I am almost finished and I will have more blog posts for you; but, I thought that I would share a quick post to let you know what I have been doing.

Sorry the pictures are dark but you'll get the idea I am sure!

This fall I will be teaching several classes using the Accuquilt dies as well as the regular Accuquilt Go! Club that I teach and I needed to get my samples finished.

I had been making great progress with lots of them and then I remembered that I needed to get another one finished.  I already had the fabric washed and prepared I just needed to cut.

So cut I did and of course that went quickly

 

All the lovely little triangles, perfectly cut and ready to go!

Several hours later I had all the units ready to go together into the blocks.

 

I am making the Storm at Sea pattern that comes with the 1.5" Finished HST die.  I thought that it would be nice for the participants if they didn't have to purchase a pattern for the class as well as the dies.  So far I am very happy with how it is turning out!  I love green and blue colour combinations and the Kona solids are so nice to work with!  Now to pin these rows together.

Once I finish this top I will be loading 3 different tops onto my frame and quilting up a storm!

I have more pictures to share with you once I get access to my husband's phone - he took pictures of me quilting on my travel machine while we were at a lodge on vacation - LOL!   I know, I know - but I honestly got a lot done and it didn't take up that much room once I packed everything correctly; and, believe it or not - I got a lot done!

What do you think?  Do you like my idea for a class?  Are you interested in die cutting classes or are you content to work from home?

Chinese Coins

Hi all!

I finished a UFO from my quilt closet the other day and I am fairly happy with how it turned out.  The biggest thing I am happy about is that it is finished more than anything.

This is a traditional "Chinese Coins" quilt - very simple pattern.  I completely cut this using my Accquilt strip dies.  The strip sets and sashing were made with the 2.5" strip die and then sub-cut with the 4.5" strip die.  It was a very easy pattern for a lap quilt.

 

What got me to finish this quilt was that I purchased another groove board from Loricles called "The Egyptian Eye" and it is the perfect quilting motif for the simple lines of this quilt.   I absolutely love the texture it creates!  I know that I will be using this board over and over again - I think it's my new favorite.

 

You can see the quilting a little better in this photo - so cool!  This will be a great quilt for summer :-)

I used 40 wt Fil-Tech Glide thread top and bobbin in white and I love the subtle shine of the thread.   It is my new go-to thread.  I have very few problems with it and the pre-wound bobbins last forever.  When I have to wind a bobbin myself now I realize how spoiled I am with the pre-wounds.

Yard Sale Find of the week!

The quilting yard sale gods must really like me!  I went to some yard sales again this morning and I came away with this!

 

It is a rolling stool!  I have wanted one for a long time to use in front of my longarm for doing detail work.  But I just couldn't justify the large price tag for a saddle stool.  well today was my lucky day.  I was able to get this dental stool at a yard sale for  - wait for it - $2.00!! I couldn't say no to that for sure!  I just saved myself a couple hundred dollars - and if I am not nuts about it eventually - hey it was only $2!

Night Sky Tablerunner is Finished!

Hi all!

I am so happy to report that my Night Sky test-run table-runner is finished!  t was a sucess in that i got to test the quilting that i was thinking of doing.  And it was a failure in that  really don't like how  quilted it LOL!  Since my Bridal Wreath Spireas are in full bloom I thought that I would try to capture them in the shots.

 

I do like the table-runner over-all.  I mean it will work - it will sit on a table perfectly well -I just have no desire to quilt the whole quilt like this.  I think it is too fussy without enough differentiation between the size of the quilting elements.

 

This is a better shot so that you can see the quilting in the stars - I like that part very much.  It was inspired by the quilting that Angela Walters did.

 

In this shot you can see the background fills more if you zoom in.  Not crazy about the pebbling (and I love pebbling!) but not in this case.   Time to re-think and try something smaller ;-)  All in all its is a nice runner and a great test piece!

A Yard Sale Buy!

Hi all!

I hope that you are all enjoying the nice weather and spending a bit of time outside!  This morning my Mother and I decided to go yardsaling and we had a blast!  It's always fun to see what is out there and we get to spend some time together sans kids!

This morning I was at the yard sale of a quilting friend of mine and she happened to be selling this!

 

The Elna Press Alize! 

 

Here it is open.  I have wanted one of these for a while to press out my finished rug hooked pieces.  Even though it was a reasonable price I at first hesitated.  But, after I got home I thought - why not!  So, I went back and grabbed it..

I had a spot in my sewing studio that was pretty much just covered in what ever I needed to throw somewhere that turns out to be the perfect spot for it; so, I cleared it off and it fits perfectly.

I switched it on and wow does it do a great job of quickly pressing those blocks and units.  I know that I will be very happy with this addition :-)  My husband is also happy b/c he will be able to iron his work shirts LOL!!

I love yard sales :-D

Scrappy Trips is Finished!

Done and done!  Quilted and bound!

  

Scrappy Trips is finished and ready to be donated.  I am very happy with how this turned out.  I am extremely thrilled with how many scraps this used up.  My 2.5" strip bin is nearly empty after my New Years mystery quilt and this one.  I backed this with a large piece of flannelette I have had forever and didn't really have any use for but didn't want to get rid of.  Even the binding was EXACTLY the right amount to bind the quilt with very little left-over.  Awesome!  I think that I will try to keep one of these on the go to be donated.

 

Here's a close-up of the quilting I used my loricles swirls grooved board and  a 40 weight variegated cotton thread top and bobbin.  I have to say - after working with Glide thread so much I forgot how temperamental and linty cotton thread can be!  Don't get me wrong I still like it but you definitely cannot move the machine as fast as with the Glide thread. 

I am really enjoying doing these charity quilts again.  I feel like it is a win-win situation.  I use up scraps, get to quilt; and, I am not storing yet another lap quilt that I honestly don't need.  I mean really - how many quilts does a girl need?!

Sick Day Sewing

Hey all!

I have a wicked spring cold and it has really taken me down.  I can't do anything requiring strength or deep thought  and that has resulted in me being extremely bored!  I wanted to do some sewing but I don't feel up to doing too strenuous.  I remembered my Scrappy Trip Blocks (Bonnie Hunter inspired!) and thought that I would sew some together of them for a charity quilt.

You wouldn't believe how long this took me to do LOL!  It was like I was sewing in slow motion.  It is a little bit big for a Victoria's Quilts but I think they will still accept it. 

Hmm now to find something else to do.  Are you able to sew while you're not feeling well?  Any suggestions?

Testing the Quilting

Hi all!

What a fine, rainy day it is today!  It is the perfect day to stay in your pajamas and play if you ask me!

I have been wanting to get quilting on Night Sky but I was a little apprehensive because what I want to do is a bunch of techniques that I haven't done a lot of before.  Then I remembered the left-over blocks from the quilt!

I grabbed the blocks and pieced them together into a runner so that I could test-quilt without the pressure ;-)  These are the less than perfect blocks so if it's not perfect I won't be too upset at myself.

I decided to double layer the batting as well; cotton on the bottom and silk on the top to see how I like quilting with a double layer - might as well try it out here and not on the quilt!

 

Now I am just laying out a few different threads to see what colours I like and then I can get to work.  I think I have everything I was needing for this quilt, sigh, I was really hoping that I could justify some thread purchasing LOL!! Maybe next time.

So any thoughts about the threads?  I am envisioning some pretty heavy quilting on this one so it should be fun to see where it all goes!  Time to bring over some more light so I can see on the black.

Snack Time - Converting a Pattern to Die-Cutting

Hi all!

Ever since I finished the Night Sky top I felt like making another one of Julie Herman's patterns; so, while I was at my LQS I picked up Snack Time.

 

Isn't it cute!?  I started to really look at it and thought - hmm that looks like it is put together the same way that Accuquilt uses the equilateral triangles to piece hexagons into horizontal rows!  That got me to thinking about this quilt.  

I am often asked by newer die-cutters how to know when they can die cut a project and how to know which die to use.  I will explain my process of how I converted this pattern from rotary cutting to die-cutting.  It is much easier than you think!

Sometimes, it is easy to convert a pattern because it is all in strips and you can figure it out easily; but, sometimes a quilt is made with different shapes, like Snack Time, and you are uncertain how to proceed.  Sometimes you just need to follow the directions and cut one of the shapes and then see if you have the corresponding dies.  Sometimes, it is easier than that!

 

This pattern uses either the templates provided or the Hex N More ruler.  I LOVE it when patterns provide templates!  Look at those shapes - they look an awful lot like some die shapes I own! I used my dies and cut paper shapes and compared them to the template shapes.

 

So I grabbed some of the new Go! die release and the old hexagon die and compared them.  I used my dies and cut paper shapes and compared them to the template shapes.  They were not exactly the same size but close enough that it would still work and because all of these dies work together I knew that the blocks would go together!

The dies I used are:

The Go! Hexagon die

The Go! Half Hexagon die

The Go!  Equilateral Triangle 4.5"

Again, these are not exactly the same size but they work in the end!  When you first start converting patterns you have to sometimes take a leap of faith and try one block - it gets easier with practice.

 

See how pretty they are turning out!  This will be a nice, cheerful quilt when it is finished I think!

Night Sky

Hi all!

It is finally starting to look like spring here!  I can't even tell you how excited this makes me!  I think everyone has had a long hard winter and we're all anxious for some heat.

I have been busy sewing away on my Night Sky Quilt - the pattern is by Jaybird Quilts and uses her Sidekick ruler.  Well, finally the top is finished!!

What do you think?  I am really pleased with the way that it turned out!   I loved the colours in the pattern so we stuck pretty much to them for this quilt and I love the way that the colours sizzle.  It makes me think that spring is indeed coming - someday.

You know that I love to die cut; so, I figured out a way to die cut a pretty fair amount of the project so that I would have to rotary cut!  I was able to use my 3.5" strip die for all of the initial cuts - yey! - and use the same strip die for the diamonds by marking the 60 degree lines - big yey!  However, I couldn't figure out a way to cut the star points without quite a bit of waste :-(  So, for those, I had to use the sidekick ruler.  But, the blocks are framed in 1.5" strips so I was able to cut all of those without and problems. 

I really enjoyed this quilt and the challenge of putting it together.  I love that Julie writes he patterns for the more experienced quilter as well - not everything is spelled out in minute detail - she assumes that we do indeed know a few tricks and that really makes me happy. 

I was so happy with this quilt that i dropped it off at my LQS today, to be a store sample, and, I purchased another one of her patterns called Snack Time.  I think I might be able to die-cut the entire thing!!!  I will keep you posted ;-)

Cutting

Cutting, cutting and more cutting!

This is what I have been doing when I can.  Life has been crazy busy and I haven't had as much time as I have wanted to sew.

I am working on Jaybird Quilts' quilt Night Sky and loving all the solids!  The quilt uses her Sidekick ruler; but, I figured out a way to cut quite a bit of it using my Studio cutter!  I was able to cut all of the 3.5" strips, using my strip cutter; and, using the strip cutter again cut all the parallelograms on the right.  That was easy peasy!  I could figure out how to cut the triangles using the die cutter without quite a bit of waste so I used the ruler.

 

Sigh, when you are accustomed to die-cutting - rotary cutting takes forever and the rulers are so slippery!  I used True Grips on the bottom of the ruler and that helped but wow cutting those triangles took forever and a day :-)  And, I had to re-cut a couple of pieces because the ruler slipped and they were inaccurate.  I know - I am spoiled by my Studio cutter ;-)

Oh well, now the cutting is complete and I can get to the sewing!  I can't wait to see these colours come together!